Case Briefing on Return
Generate comprehensive matter briefings after absence or reassignment, summarizing activity, flagging urgent items, and prioritizing catch-up tasks.
70-85% reduction in catch-up time
Comprehensive activity summary
Practice Management & Billing
The Problem
- ✗Time to review accumulated activity
- ✗Risk of missing important developments
- ✗Difficulty identifying priorities
- ✗Delayed productivity on return
- ✗Client service gaps during transition
How Claude Helps
Summarizes recent activity, identifies key developments, flags urgent items, prioritizes catch-up tasks, and generates briefing memos.
Step-by-Step Workflow
Specify matter and absence period
Identify the case and dates you were away
Provide activity data
Supply emails, documents, time entries, and docket updates
Generate briefing
Claude creates structured catch-up memo
Review and identify follow-ups
Prioritize action items from briefing
Resume matter work
Begin work on prioritized tasks
Example Prompt
Generate a catch-up briefing for the Acme litigation matter: CONTEXT: - I was out February 1-10, 2026 - This is my primary matter - Need to be fully up to speed today ACTIVITY SOURCES: - Emails in matter folder (100+ emails) - New documents filed/received - Time entries from colleagues - Court docket updates BRIEFING SHOULD INCLUDE: 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (1 paragraph) - Overall status - Most critical development 2. KEY DEVELOPMENTS - Court filings and orders - Discovery events - Settlement discussions - Client communications 3. URGENT ITEMS - Deadlines in next 2 weeks - Client needs/requests - Outstanding tasks assigned to me 4. LESS URGENT BUT IMPORTANT - Items requiring attention this month - Background developments 5. QUESTIONS FOR TEAM - Clarification needed - Decisions made in my absence 6. SUGGESTED PRIORITIES - What to tackle first - What can wait Generate briefing memo for my review.
Frequently Asked Questions
How comprehensive can the briefing be?
Depends on data provided. More activity data = more comprehensive briefing.
Can Claude brief me on matters I'm taking over?
Yes. Provide matter history and Claude will generate onboarding briefing.
What about confidential developments?
Include or exclude sensitive information based on your judgment.